Ptanoqraph co



L. OTTINGER.

nsenma nevlce. APPLICATION FILED APR. 3 Isla.

Pflltd Allg. 5, 1919.

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f, 1G Mwnmfmfy THB mLUMMA PLANOGRAPH cu.. wAsmmruN. 0.1:.

L. OTTINGER.

FASTENING DEVICE.

APPLlcmoN FILED APR. 3. 191s.

1,312,199. Patented Aug. 5,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

zo ATTORNEY THB CDLUMII'A "Amok-APH no., WASI-"Nm, D. e.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEON OTTINGER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

FASTAENING DEVICE.

Application filed April 3, 1918.

To all ywhom it may; concern.'

lie it known that I, LEON OTTINGER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastening Devices, of Which the following is a speciiication.

The present invention relates to fastening devices, and particularly locks or latches. While I have illustrated my invention With reference to an automobile door latch, in which the present invention meets the peculiar conditions of service found only in such locks, it Will be understood that the invention is adapted to other uses, such for instance as refrigerator doors and doors generally, and the new mechanical principle involved will find use in any structure requiring a secure fastening, and particularly that class of uses at present supplied by the Aso-called expansion bolts.

1With the old types of locks other than that disclosed in my United States Patents No. 1,203,394 of ctober 31st., 1916, and Nos. 1,192,448 and 1,192,449 of July 25th, 1916, many disadvantages were present, and it was practically impossible: to produce a perfect ttin door, which Would not rattle and Whic would maintain its fit for any great length of time. In doors of buildings, this question of tight fitting of the doors to prevent rattling has lbeen entirely overlooked, principally as the degree of annoyance was not as great as in doors of automolbiles or refrigerator doors, Where it is essential that a very tight lit be provided. Refrigerator doors have been for the most part locked by a cam lever, which is hard to operate and becomes Worn very rapidly, and no provision is made for changes in the door produced by atmospheric condltions.

In automobile doors, rubber stops are placed upon the door stop to take up any looseness. These exert a pressure upon the door when closed very much greater than the pressure of the lock spring, that is for example, 250 pounds as against 15 pounds. The theory of this method is to depend upon the force with which the door is slammed Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

Serial No. 226,411.

to obtain the pressure. This actionl springs, twists or Warps the door into place, and it displaces the rubber 'between it and the janvb and causes an elastic rebound pressure which is then maintained by the latch bolt entering behind the striker plate at the moment of the slamming impact. This method can prevent rattling only temporarily on account of the deterioration of the rubber necessitating frequent renewals of the rnbbcr, and the fact that sooner or later a door will become bent and strained on account of the constant slamming, twisting and bending of the doors. Although the door is difficult to open by hand, because of the rebound pressure and the pressure behind the latch, yet when an automobile is in motion, these pressures Work against each other, the greater rebound pressure causing the latch to gradually move back, frequently causing the door to open of its own accord. This also causes looseness in the handle mechanism, so that the handles rattle and are not maintained in their proper normal position.

I propose in the present invention to obviate these disadvantages, and to provide a lock which will take up any looseness between the door and door jamb, Whether the looseness be slight or great, and Will rigidly support the door against pressure at either side. At the same time, the door may be closed Without. slamming, and opened with ease, it being unnecessary to overcome any rebound pressure or friction produced by sliding of the latch bolt. Wear upon the lock is reduced to a negligible quantity, and this is automatically taken up without impairing its eiiiciency, and the use of rubber or other such substance subject to change is eliminated, so that there is practically no deterioration due to use.

A further object is to provide means for preventing looseness of the handles, and maintaining them in their proper position when the latch bolt is not fully projected.

With these and other objects in view, embodiments of my invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described With reference thereto, and the inventioii will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a plan View of a latch embodying my inventan;

Fig. 2 is ii longitudinal sectional view laken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l.;

Fig. 2 is a sectional fragmentary View of a slightly modified form;

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken along the me :1 3 of. rig, 41;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a mechanical movement employed;

Fi s. 5, 6, 7 and 8 aie sectional views showing the latch in four positions of niovemenit with respect to the latch engaging portion of the door j amb;

Figs. 9 and 10 are front end views of the latch showing the lateliing member in retracted and projected positions respectively;

Fig. 11 is a detail plan view with parts broken away showing the action of the handle retaining means;

Fig. 12 shows a modified form of handle retaining means; and

Fi 13 is a sectional view showing a further modifiedY form.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring. to the drawings, and more particularly to F igs. 1 to 3A thereof, the supporting plate 201 is provided at its front en with a face portion 21 bent upwardly, and inclined outwardly therefrom. A rectangular opening 22 is provided in the face 21, and at the inner side of the said face there is secured a latch bearing 23. of inverted U-sha e, base portions 24 and 25 resting upon t e plate 20, the bearing being secured in place by screws 26, 27 and 28. A flange 29 extends into the openmg 22 engaging the upper and side ed es thereof.

The latch bo t 3()` is provided at its forward end with a nose 31 which engages the bearing` 23I aridis adapted to be projected and retracted with respect thereto, and at its rear and a guide extension 32 is provided, adapted to he reciproiated in a guide passage 33 of the frame 34. The frame 34 is provided at its forward end with an upturned portion 35 engaging the .face 21, and with the exception of the portions 26 and 27 which rest anni. the plate 2,0 and are secured thereto by screws 38, 39 and 40,' is spaced from the said plate 20. The portion 35 is secured to the face 21 by screws 41 and 42. A longitudinal, recess 43 is provided in the under side of the latch bolt, and a spring 44 is disposed theiiein, engaging at one end the front wall of the recess, Iand at its other end. secured. to a study 45, mounted upon a lug 4.6' struck up from the 'Plate 20, r1`he spring. 4.4t constantly exerts a projecting force upon the latch bolt.

Retraction of the boli; may be brought about either by the lever 47 rotatably mouiited in openings IS and 11) ol' the plate 2U and frame 34, engaging a projection 5U of the latch bolt, and operable through a handle secured in the square openingY 51, or by rotation ol the upright shaft 52 iiioniitcd in semicircular sockets and 54 jin-ovided respectively on the plate 20 and the portion 37 of the frame 34, engaging a projection 55V of the bolt by means of a lateral cani portion 56.

In the upper flat side of the nose portion 31 of the latch bolt, there is provided a recess 57, open as at 58 at its forward end. Within the recess there is rotatably niountcd upon a transverse pin 59 a rocker member (i0. Beneath the pin 59 there is provided on the under side of the rocker a bolster portion 61 which slidnbly engages the bol.- toiii of the recess, forming` a support for the rocker, supplementing the pin against lateral pressure. 1f desired, this portion (il iii-.i5r be entirely eliminated, and :i rocker member G0 such as shown in Fig. 2 provided.

In the projected position of the latch, the pin is disposed forwardly of the face 21 of the supporting plate, while in the retracted position it moves rearwardlyY of the plate, and the upper flat surface of the rocker becomes flush with the upper flat surface of the nose, a rejecting portion (i2 at the forward end o the rocker, engaging and filling in the open portion 58, so that the rounded under side-of the nose resents a smooth and solid surface. The iliit surface 63 of the latch hearing 23 swings the rocker into this position as the axis of the pin passes beneath the front edge thereof.

An upwardly inclined cani and abutment surface 64 extends rearwardly of the dat surface 63, this surface being slightly Wider than the rocker as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. At the inner end of the rocker there is provided a raised cam portion (i5, adapted to engage the surface 64 during the projection of the latch to project the forward end of the rocker laterally of the latch. The contact point of the portion G5 is rounded and is nearer to the axis of rotation of the rocker than the forward end thereof, so that there is a proportionately greater movement of the said forward end. In any posi. tion of Contact with the surface 64 the rocker is rigidly locked against return movement without initial retraction movement of the latch bolt, and re ression of the latch bolt is prevented by a oree exerted directly on the rocker,` as for instance such a torce. as would result from leaning heavil. upon the door to which the latchis attached.

In Fig. 4, I have illustrated diagram matically and somewhat enlarged the new principle involved. The inclined rain and Sli lill

abutment surface A is 1n a plane passing through the axis of the pivot B of the rocker C, which is carried by the member I), in the fully projected position oi' the member D, or it may be in a plane passing in front of the axis of the pivot-B. Thusl a force exerted laterally of the member I.) upon the rocker is applied against the surface A along the line y in a perpendicular direction to the said surface, or in the rase of the plane passing in front ol the axis as when the member D is not fully projected, the lines of force are in the direction of the arrows m y', the line y forming an obtuse angle indicated at a With the surface A. The rocker is thereby absolutely locked against movement without initial re traction of the member D. In the fully retracted position and prior to engagement with the surface A the forward end of the rocker is depressed flush with the surfare of the member D. This new mechanical movement will find application in numerous other uses, such as expansion attachment means, capable of ready disengagement, so that I do not desire to limit myself to its particular use in latches as disclosed.

The operation of the latch is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8, Fig. 5 illustrating the retracted position of the bolt. This retraction is brought about through operation of the handle, and is assisted by engagement of the rounded surface of the bolt with the striker plate 66 of the door jamb. When the bolt is released by the striker plate it is projected into the rabbet 67 behind the striker, moving for a considerable distance without frictional contact with the striker. (Fig. 6.) Toward the end of the projecting movement the cam portion 65 of the rocker engages the surface 64, projecting the outer end of the rocker laterall into engagement with the striker, (Fig. I taking up the space between the Hat surface of the bolt and the striker, and further projecting movement of the bolt forces the door tightly against the stop 68, taking up any looseness between the door and the stop. (Fig. 8.)

In practice the bolt is never fully projected, and any Wear upon the same is automatically taken up. This wear is negligible however, as there is very little friction contact, and the striking force of the rocker against the striker is considerably less than the actual force of the spring, because of the lateral diver ence of the same. The door may be opene with great ease, it being onl 1 necessary to overcome the pressure of the spring 44, the 4rocker being disengaged from the striker as soon as the retraction movement commences. Danger of the door opening because of widely different pressures working against each other as in the old types of latches, is entirely eliminated.

In order to prevent rattling oi the handies, and prevent any loosenessl therein when the bolt is not `fully projected, l provide spring means coperatiingl with the lever arm 47 to hold the same yicldingly in engagement with the inclined face 21.

In Figs. 1l to 13, I have shown several Jr'orms of springs which may be employed for this purpose, the first, a helical spring (i9 disposed upon a shaft or guide rod 70, pivoted at one end 7l to the lever, and slidable at its other end through the bracket 72 formed on the frame 34. In Fig. l2, I have shown a leaf spring 73 secured at one end to the bracket 74, and at its other turned up end 75 engaging a pin 76 ol the lever. Fig. 13 illustrates a spiral form ot' spring 77, disposed in the lever and having its ends secured respectively to th(` frame 34 and the lever.

I have illustrated preferred and satisfactory embodiments of my invention. but it is obvious that. changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a latch, a latching member adapted to be projected and retracted, latching member carried means adapted to expand the same in its transverse dimension during projection, and means coperating with said latching member carried means, and adapted to prevent return movement of said latching member carried means, said lati-.hing meinber carried means adapted to be returned only by retraction movement initially applied to said latching member.

2. In a latch, a latching member adapted to be projected and retracted longitudinally of its axis, latching member rarried means adapted to expand the same transversely of its axis, and means cooperating with said latching member carried means, and adapted to prevent return movement of said latching member carried means, said latching member carried means adapted to be returned only `by retraction movement initially applied to said latching member.

3. In a latch, a latching member adapted to be projected and retracted, latching member carried means adapted to expand the same in its transverse dimension, inclined cam and abutment means adapted to engage said latching member carried means during projection of said latching member to move the same into expanding position, and adapted to prevent return movement of said latehing member carried means, said latching member carried means adapted to be returned only by retraction movement initially applied to said latching member.

4. In a latch, a latching member adapted to be projected and retracted, latching member carried means adapted to expand the lll() same in its transverse dimension, inclined vain :nid abutment means adapted to engage said lnli'liinjgl nicnibii carried means during projection ol' said latvliiiig member to more tliil saine into expanding position, and adapted to prevent return movement of said liiiiliinp,- nii-uber carried means, said latching' iiiciiibeil carried means adapted to be i-etiii'ncd only by retraction movement initially applied to said bitching member, the degree of expansion being` variable with the amount ol projection o't said lati-hing menibei'.

i. In a latch, a latcliintgr ii'ieinber adapted to be projected and retracted longitudinally oli its Mis, pivoted latcliing i'iiember carried means adapted to expand the same transversely of its axis, and means coperatiiigr willi said bitching' meiiilier carried means. and adapted to prevent return more inciil ai" `:iid bitching' member carried means, said latrhinn member carried means adapted 1o lic i'itiii'uid only by reti-action Inoveiiieiit initialliA applied to said lati'hing member,

l. lli a latch. a Yt'i'amc provided with a guide passage, a latchinfr member haring a nose adapted lo be projected and retractci'l through said passage, a rocker member carried by said nose and adapted to expand the same in its transverse dimension by projection therefrom, and means adapt/ed to engage said roi-ker during projection of said bitchingl member to project the saine relatively to said latching member, said means adapted to prevent return inoveineiit of said rocker` said rocker adapted to be returned only by retraction movement initially ap plied to said latching member,

7. In a latch, a frame provided with a guide` passage, a latching member having a nose adapted to be projected and retracted through said passage, a rocker member car ried by said nose pivoted intermediate its ends, and adapted to expand the same in its transverse dimension by projection from said latch member of one end thereof, and an 'inclined cam and abutment surface in said passage adapted to engage the other. end to project said first mentioned end relatively to said latcliingmember, said surface adapted to prevent return movement of said rocker, said rocker adapted to be returned only by retraction movement initially' applied to Said latching member.

8. In a latch, a frame provided with a guide passage, a latching member having a nose adapted to be projected and retracted through said passage,a1 rocker member carried by said nose pivoted intermediate its ends, and adapted to expand the same 1n its transverse dimension by rejection of one end thereof from said latc member, and an inclined cam and abutment surface in said passage adapted to engage the other end to project said lirst mentioned end relatively to said latcliing member, said surface adapted lo prevent return nioveriient of said rocker, said rockm- :idapted to be returned only by retraction movement initially applied to Said latchin;y niciiilwi', said cam and abutment siii-tace being in a plane passing' through (lic pivotal axis oisaid rocker in the fully projected position of said latch member.

In a latch, a 'l'rame provided with a guide passage, a bitching member having a nose adapted to bc projected and retracted through said passage, latching member carried means adapted to expand the nose in its transverse dimension, said nose adapted to more without expansion duringf the initial part of its projection movement, and means coi'fiperating with said late-hing ineinlicr can rind nii-ans ada ptcd to project the same rclatively to said lati'liinji member during the remaining projecting moi-ement, said means adapted to pi'cvcid' ii-tni'n movement nl' said latcliinpl ineiiilieiA carried means, Isaid latchA ingy iiieiiibci carried means adapted to be returned onlyv by retraction nu'ivement iniliallj.` applied to said latcliinpr iiieinlicr.

l0. In a latch, a trame provided with a guide passage, a latchiug member having a recessed nose adapted to be projected and retracted through said passage, a rocker member pivotally mounted in said recess, and independently and slidably supported in said recess beneath said pivot, said rocker member adapted to expand said bitching member in its transverse dimension by plojee-tion therefrom, and means adapted to en.w ,frane said rocker during` projection of said lat-ching member to project the same rela.- tii'ely to said latchingr member.

11. In a latch, a latchiiig member, a movable part carrie-d thereon, means for pro jecting said latchng member, means for ietiacting said latching member, a latch engaging member, means for forcing said part laterally, said bitching member belng limited in its projecting movement by said part cOntacting with said latch-engaging member under pressure of said projecting means When latched, said means for forcing said part laterally adapted to prevent return movement of said part, said part adapted to be returned only by retraction movement initially applied to said latching member.

12. In a latch, a latching member, a Inovable part carried thereby, means for projecting said latching member, means for retractiiig said lat/ching member, a latch engaging member, means for forcing said part laterally, said latching member being limited in its projecting movement by said part contacting said latch engaging member normally preventing full projection of said latching member, said latchiiig member adapted to retain said retracting means in normal position in the fully projecting position of said latching member, a guide rod connected to said retracting means, a compressioli coil spring disposed thereon and adapted to be compressed upon operation ot said retraction menus and expanded upon release ot said retraction means, te retain said retraction member in normal position independently of said latching member when said latching member is not Vtnlly projected.

'13. ln a latch, a bitching member, a movable part carried thereby, means for projecting .said latehing member, means for retracting said latching member. a latch engaging member, means for forcing said part laterally, said latching member being limited in its projecting movement by said part contacting With said latch engaging member under pressure of said projecting means when latchcd, said means tor forcing said part laterally adapted to prevent return movement of said part, said part adapted to be returned only by retraction movement initially applied to said latching member, said latch engagingr member normally preventing full projection of said latching f member, said latching member adapted to retain said retracting means in normal position in the fully projected position of said latchin member, and yielding means for indepcn ently retaining said rctracting means in normal position when said latchingr member is not fully projected.

14. A mechanical movement comprising a support, a member adapted to be projected and retracted relatively to said support, means on said member adapted to expand said member in its transverse dimension by projection therefrom, means adapted to engage said means carried by said member during projection of said member to project the same relatively thereto. and adapted to prevent return movement of said means carried by said member, said means carried by said member adapted to be returned only by retraction movement initially applied to said member.

15. A mechanical movement comprising a support, a member adapted to be projected and retracted relatively to said support, a rocker on said member pi'voted intermediate its ends and adapted to expand the transverse dimension of said member by projection of its outer end therefrom` an inclined cam and abutment surface adapted to engage the inner end of said rocker during projection of said member to project the same relatively thereto, said surface adapted to prevent return movement of said rocker, said rocker adapted to be returned only bv retraction movement initially applied to said member, the pivotal axis of said rocker in the fully projected position of said member being Within an angle formed by the plane of said inclined surface and a plane parallel to the direction of movement of said member and passing through said pivotal axis.

16. In a latch, a latching member adapted to be projected and retracted, latching inembcr carried means adapted to expand the amc in its transverse dimension, means adapted to be engaged by said latching inember carried means, and adapted during engagement to expand the same, and constituting during engagement an abutment against complete return movement of said latching member carried means, by a force exerted directly thereon.

17. In a latch, a latehing member adapted to be projected and retracted, a movable part, means coperating with said movable part during projection of said latching member to prevent repression oi" said late-hing member by a torce exerted directly upon said movable part, said movable part and said means adapted to be made non-coperative to rcvent retraction of said latching member y retraction of said latching member.

18. In a latch, a latching member, means for projecting said latchiug member, means for retracting said latching member. a latch engaging member` said latching member being normally fully projected when not engaged with said latch engaging member, means acting between said latch engaging member and said latching member for forcing the latter yieldingly toward said stop when the parts are latched and acting;` when the parts are latehed to prevent repression of said latching member b v a torce exerted directly on said means said means adapted to prevent full projection of said bitching member when engaged With said latch engaging member` said latehing member adapted to retain said retracting means in normal position in the fully projected position ot' said latehino' member, and yieldingr means for independently retaining said retraeting means in normal position when said latching member is engaged With said latch engagin member and not fully rejected.

19. n a latch having a late ing member adapted to be projected and retracted, an opposed latch engaging member, and a stop, means acting between said latch engaging member and said latchi.n, member tor forcinlg the latter yieldingly toward said stop W en the parts are latched and acting when the parts are latched to prevent repression of said latching member by a force exerted directly on said means.

20. In a latch having a latching member adapted to be projected and retracted. an opposed latch engaging member, and a stop, plvoted means actin between said latch engagin member an said latching member for forclng the latter yi eldingly toward said stop when the parts are latched to prevent repression of said latching member by a force exerted directly on said pivoted means.

21. In a latch, the combination of a latching member adapted to be projected and retreated, :m opposed Intell engaging member, :n` stop, und means acting between said laten engaging' member and Suid bitching member for forcing the butter yieidngly toward said stop when the parts are lntehed to prevent repression of seid latchil'ig' member by n force exerted directly on seid means in u direction transverse to the retraction movement of seid bitching member, :mid means 10 adapted to be made non-operative by retraction of seid bitching member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name.

LEON OTTINGER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

